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Search 69,459 Camino Questions

Training - dedicated or general

Which training schedule should I use for a late October Camino?

  • Keep up normal routine and add in practice hikes in September

  • Adjust training schedule to start practice hikes now


Results are only viewable after voting.

Ryan_StL

New Member
Time of past OR future Camino
September 2013
October 2017
The last time I walked the Camino was in 2013. I prepped by doing a lot of hikes with a full backpack.

I'm going back in October. I've recently lost 127 pounds, and I'm focused mostly on maintaining my workout regimen: 4 days of weight lifting, 3 of running, and 1 of doing whatever I want (resting, swimming, kayaking, light hiking) each week. I'm really in the best shape of my life. I'm thinking about doing a half marathon a couple weeks before the Camino, thought I'm a bit worried about a last minute injury.

It's miserably hot where I live this time of year, and I'm concerned about breaking my exercise routine. On Sundays, I just don't have the appetite for a long hike in the humidity, and I'm concerned that at a certain point, my body is going to break down under those demands. But I will if that's what I need to be comfortable on the Camino in October.

So I'm looking for some advice. Can I keep up my routine until mid-September when it's not so hot (still pretty hot here) and do some practice hikes (4-6) and be in good shape for the Camino, or should I start practice hikes now and adjust my workout schedule t accommodate it?
 
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My guess is that you are already fitter than you need to be for the Camino. Anyone who is contemplating a half marathon has their cardio and leg strength in order. Does your workout include any hills? If no, that would be the only thing to add into what you have already.

The real issue for you to consider is getting used to shoes. Do you have a shoe that you like over long distances? Have you done several back-to-back days over 10K in it? If yes, I'd say you're good to go. If not, September is too late to be trying to find a shoe/sock combo that doesn't give you blisters.

Buen Camino!
 
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My guess is that you are already fitter than you need to be for the Camino. Anyone who is contemplating a half marathon has their cardio and leg strength in order. Does your workout include any hills? If no, that would be the only thing to add into what you have already.

The real issue for you to consider is getting used to shoes. Do you have a shoe that you like over long distances? Have you done several back-to-back days over 10K in it? If yes, I'd say you're good to go. If not, September is too late to be trying to find a shoe/sock combo that doesn't give you blisters.

Buen Camino!
I totally agree with this advice. Especially about the shoes. Your feet could be just fine after a long hike one day, but the true test of your shoes comes from multiple consecutive days of high mileage walks.

And congratulations on the weight loss. That is a huge accomplishment!! Much more difficult than walking the Camino.
 
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You're good to go! Buen Camino!

(But do get the sock / shoe combo sorted - there's a lot written elsewhere about that, and it may or may not be what you use to run in, depending on the time of year / season).

I wore Injinji toe socks on my first Camino. Perfect for avoiding blisters. I'd like to wear trail runners, but I think they're too narrow for distance hiking. I'll probably have to settle for boots since my shoe width is 6E.
 
The last time I walked the Camino was in 2013. I prepped by doing a lot of hikes with a full backpack.

I'm going back in October. I've recently lost 127 pounds, and I'm focused mostly on maintaining my workout regimen: 4 days of weight lifting, 3 of running, and 1 of doing whatever I want (resting, swimming, kayaking, light hiking) each week. I'm really in the best shape of my life. I'm thinking about doing a half marathon a couple weeks before the Camino, thought I'm a bit worried about a last minute injury.

It's miserably hot where I live this time of year, and I'm concerned about breaking my exercise routine. On Sundays, I just don't have the appetite for a long hike in the humidity, and I'm concerned that at a certain point, my body is going to break down under those demands. But I will if that's what I need to be comfortable on the Camino in October.

So I'm looking for some advice. Can I keep up my routine until mid-September when it's not so hot (still pretty hot here) and do some practice hikes (4-6) and be in good shape for the Camino, or should I start practice hikes now and adjust my workout schedule t accommodate it?

Hi! I own up on not having read all the replies (internet connection very iffy tonight :rolleyes: ), all I wanted to say very quickly is: don't over do it! Start slowly when actually on the Camino and don't do very long distances the first few days and you will be fine.
 
Like a few folks have already stated. You sound like your in great shape for the Camino. But find shoes that work for you, break them in slowly and then take a few long hikes on consecutive days.
No idea how many miles that would mean and even if I did, I'm sure it's different for everyone. Just get to the point where have confidence in your shoes. You know your body better than anyone else on here.
 
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I don't train and I'm back again this year to do Burgos - Santiago as I missed some of it because I had too much fun staying in beautiful places for too long and ran out of time and had to RUN for my plane in Madrid to get home.

Am 67, not fit, never get blisters (good boots well worn in), lowered lung capacity and I have found that I start slow (20+ kms/day) and within about 4 - 5 days find that I am more than ready to do 30+.

Don't sweat it because the Frances - if that's the route your taking - is not that hard. Mind you - SJPdP to Roncesvalles can be a bit hard for day 1 when you're as unfit as I am at the start.
 
don't train and I'm back again this year to do Burgos - Santiago as I missed some of it because I had too much fun staying in beautiful places for too long and ran out of time and had to RUN for my plane in Madrid to get home.

Good one .... better to enjoy have fun than overthink .... overthinking stops many from doing much in life ....

I didn't have time to train ... rocked up to St Jean to see what would happen ... had a great time / celebrated 60th / overcame some trials .... it was great
 
Hi Ryan, welcome to the forum. I agree with all the advice that you've been given. You're doing more than enough training, but give some thought to your footwear. And well done on that very impressive weight loss!

A few comments from a running perspective:
  • In the final stages of your half-marathon training, you'll need to decide which is more important - the half-marathon or your Camino. So, if you're pushing through pain or injury, ask yourself if it's worth jeopardising your Camino plans for the race.
  • After the half marathon, give yourself time to recover - even if you don't feel that you need it. Rest is as important as training; otherwise you can end up with injuries a few days after a pain-free race (I'm speaking from personal experience here :) ).
And finally - if you're taking the same backpack as last time, you should probably wear if on a few walks to check that it's still comfortable. Your body shape will have changed a lot since then!
 
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You've walked before, so you know what the demands will be on your body (especially feet), and I'm betting that you have your shoe/sock/insole situation sorted out. So yeah, "training" probably isn't needed. Just continue with your fitness.
 
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I wore Injinji toe socks on my first Camino. Perfect for avoiding blisters. I'd like to wear trail runners, but I think they're too narrow for distance hiking. I'll probably have to settle for boots since my shoe width is 6E.

Arrrgh... that is what I dislike about a lot of the athletic shoe manufacturers; they seem to believe that no one with wide feet runs, hikes, or trail walks. For me, New Balance has a goodly number of models with extremely large width sizes. My favorite of theirs is The Leadville.... I've one them, in one iteration or another, on long backpacking thru-hikes. The Beast, by Brooks, also comes in wide widths. I've enjoyed them as well.
 
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The last time I walked the Camino was in 2013. I prepped by doing a lot of hikes with a full backpack.

I'm going back in October. I've recently lost 127 pounds, and I'm focused mostly on maintaining my workout regimen: 4 days of weight lifting, 3 of running, and 1 of doing whatever I want (resting, swimming, kayaking, light hiking) each week. I'm really in the best shape of my life. I'm thinking about doing a half marathon a couple weeks before the Camino, thought I'm a bit worried about a last minute injury.

It's miserably hot where I live this time of year, and I'm concerned about breaking my exercise routine. On Sundays, I just don't have the appetite for a long hike in the humidity, and I'm concerned that at a certain point, my body is going to break down under those demands. But I will if that's what I need to be comfortable on the Camino in October.

So I'm looking for some advice. Can I keep up my routine until mid-September when it's not so hot (still pretty hot here) and do some practice hikes (4-6) and be in good shape for the Camino, or should I start practice hikes now and adjust my workout schedule t accommodate it?

The problem with waiting until mid-September to do practice hikes is that you have not given enough time to gradually ease into the length and time of walking that you decide you will be able to do on the Camino. The more aggressive one is at jumping into walking long distances, the more likely repetitive injuries, like shinsplints, plantar fasciitis, achilles tendonitis, and others can occur. By having a longer period of time to do practice walks, you can start with short mileage, without your pack, then gradually increase mileage with your pack.

Of course, even the best pre-trip conditioning will never guarantee that injuries will not occur during the trip; but, pre-conditioning goes a long way into avoiding potential problems and, if problems do occur, help to minimize the severity.

Don't use your practice walks for an aerobic workout; do them strictly as distance conditioning for your lower back, legs, and feet. Do aerobic conditioning indoors, using a treadmill set to a 10-15 percent incline. Strengthen leg muscles by doing step-ups on steps with a 12" to 15" rise, or walking up bleachers, or up stairwells with your pack.

A lot of folks fall into the camp of using the beginning week or two of the Camino to "get in shape". It is a valid philosophy which even a lot of backpackers doing long-distance thru-hikes on the Pacific Crest and Appalachian Trails observe. There is the other camp, of which I belong, which states that to enjoy the trip at the best possible level from the very beginning, pre-condition prior to the trip. It is up to the individual to decide how to proceed.
 
To avoid heat, walk 4 hours in the morning, followed by 4 hours in the evening. Determine your readiness for the Camino by how you feel the next day. Can you do the same routine 2 days or more?

-Paul
 
I would start early in the morning (5:30 - 6:00 AM being very very careful NOT to wake other sleepers), have a coffee and croissant at the first place I could get these after my first couple of hours walking, find a place to eat (either a restaurant, coffee shop, bar or restaurant) around 12:00 - 1:00, get back walking when done and then stop around 3:00 - 5:00 depending on how long I had decided to walk or I'd stop if I found a place I wanted to stay because of how it made me feel. If I already knew where I wanted to stay (because I'd read up on it or had visited before) then I would pre-book otherwise I'd just wing it and carry my backpack instead of having it shipped forward.
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.

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